Dog Training: Socializing Your Dog

Dogs, just like people, display a wide variability of tolerance for others. Some are instantly friendly with every new dog, cat or person they meet. Other dogs are frequently hostile to even the opposite sex of their own species.

Oftentimes, we animal lovers like to have more than one dog around and often have several breeds or other species of pets. Ensuring that the furniture remains standing and flesh undamaged can be a real challenge. Add to the mix your  neighbor's pets or other creatures which wander into your canine friend's territory and your home, not to mention your sanity, can be in serious danger.

Your first task is to start the process of socializing your dog as soon as possible. Just like children, puppies are much more accepting of strangers. They haven't yet distinguished between friend and enemy and everything is a new experience to be enjoyed instead of feared or chased.

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If you have a single dog, introduce your puppy to other dogs and people early. Get them comfortable with being touched, especially between their toes, in the ears and around their eyes. In addition to the benefit to interaction with animals and people, this will make vet visits and excursions in public areas much easier and safer for all involved.

Dogs, naturally, like to sniff everything in their world. When they are about to meet another creature, maintain firm control them until you're confident there won't be any hostility or chasing, then let them examine the other dog, person or critter

If your dog shows a tendency to jump or bite, tolerate it only below the point where someone may be injured. It is totally normal for dogs to rough house, knock each other over and even lightly bite legs or necks. Stay close and be ready to pull them away, if necessary. Leather gloves can be useful during the initial experiments.

If he barks incessantly, distract him with a toy, a treat or a sharp command. If he still refuses to stop barking or pulling after several attempts to control him, stop and try another day. What brings success will vary widely among individual dogs and some simply will never tolerate others. You will learn what techniques are more effective as you observe your dog's interactions over time.

It may be necessary to place your dog on his back, then hold it down with firmly, but gently with your hand on his chest. In the most difficult cases a bark or shout to the dog is useful. Yes, you will look like a nut case to others, but this dog training technique is even employed by the Monks of New Skeet. The brothers of this upstate New York religious order are world-renown for their well trained German Shepherd dogs.

Rescued or shelter dogs may require extra patience when socializing. These dogs have often been abused by people or injured by other animals. Such experiences naturally will often lead to aggressive or fear-based behavior. Extraordinary transformations have been demonstrated in even the worst abuse cases dogs, however. After repeated calm experiences they often learn to at least tolerate other people and animals. Dogs can be remarkably forgiving and resilient.

Start social training your dog early, expose for short periods initially leading to longer meetings, and repeat. In each case, be prepared to physically and vocally control your dog.